Combination awning and shutter



June 27, 1950 1.. MUHN 2,513,042

COMBINATION AWNING AND SHUTTER Filed March 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 27, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice 12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in combination awnings and shutters.

One object of the invention is to provide an im proved device which may be readily and easily adjusted or shifted to provide an awning or a shutter for completely closing the opening of a building.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination awning and shutter which may be conveniently slid from one position to the other position to form either an awning or a shutter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device, of the character described, which includes side guide members adapted to be secured uprightly on each side of a building opening and having outwardly directed and downwardly inclined extensions, with a shield or guard thereacross at the top of the opening to keep out rain and light, together with a flexible closure panel or member slidable in the guide members under said shield.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination awning and shutter, constructed in accordance with the invention with the closure panel shifted to form a shutter,

Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1,'showing the panel moved to its awning position,

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view, showing a portion of the closure panel and one of the guides,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of a portion of the panel in its shutter position,

Fig. 5 is atransverse, vertical, sectional view of the guide frame in position on a window opening, the panel being omitted, and

Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of closure panel.

This application is flled as a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application Serial No. 657,485, flled March 2'7, 1946, now abandoned.

In the drawings, the numeral i0 indicates generally, a frame which includes upright guides il having vertical legs l2 and downwardly inclined extensions [3 connected at their upper ends by curved portions or bridges II. The guides ii are U or channel-shaped in cross section with their open sides facing inwardly. Thus, each a building by means of suitable anchor screws II, as shown in Fig. 5, or in any other suitable manner. In order to protect and close the bridge portion of the frame, a sheet metal shield I8 is mounted transversely across said frame with its ends welded or otherwise secured to the bridges M. The inner transverse edge portion of the shield i8 is turned upwardly to form a flash flange is which is fastened flat against the face of the frame A, immediately overthe opening B. This shield prevents rain and. snow water from flowing down inside of the frame and excludes light rays.

A suitable flexible or articulated closure panel 20 is mounted in the frame with its side edges slidable in the channels of the guides Ii. The lower ends of the extensions iii are connected by a stop bar M, which bar is angular in crosssection. When the panel 20 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, it serves as an awning or canopy and has its lower edge resting on the bar 2i with its upper end under the shield l8. The latter serves as a "cover for the upper end of said panel. By observing Fig. 2 it will be seen that the entire opening B is unobstructed, although shaded.

When it is desired to shift the panel to form a shutter, it is merely necessary to slide said panel up the extensions l3, over the bridges l4 and downwardly in the legs l2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. With the panel in the shutter position, its upper end is under the shield i8 and protected thereby. The panel is preferable formed of transverse metallic slats or strips 22. The longitudinal edges of adjacent slats 22 are rolled, one within the other to form hinge joints 23. By this structure, the panel will readily follow the channels of the bridges l4. If desired, the panel 20 may be formed of a relatively thin sheet 24 of corrugated metal as shown in Fig. 3.

The combination awning and shutter while generally useful, is particularly adapted for use in areas where sudden and violent storms are frequent, such as the coastal areas of the United States. Many of these areas have strong sunlight and when the panel is adjusted as an awning (Fig. 2), direct sun rays and some rain are excluded; however, the ends of the awning are open and this permits a free circulation of air. Upon the approach of a storm, the closure panel may be quickly slid in the channels of the guides I II from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. With the panel in shutter position, the opening B is completely closed, whereby hard rains are kept out and high winds excluded; also, reasonable protection will be afforded against outside objects from being blown 3 through theopenlng. Manifestly, the combination awning and shutter may be used in conjunction with any opening of a building, such as a doorway or show window.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a building opening, of

a frame secured to the building having upright members and downwardly inclined extensions provided with continuous guides along each side of the opening, and a flexible metallic closure panel of less length than said guides and movable therealong from the upright members to the extensions.

2. The combination with a building opening of a frame having upright guide members extending from the bottom to the upper portion of the outer side of the opening and downwardly inclined guide members extending outwardly from the upper ends of the upright members, and a transversely flexible panel slidably mounted in said guide members, the upright and inclined guide members being continuous whereby the panel may he slid onto the inclined members to shade the opening and be slid down the upright members to close the opening.

3'. A combined sun shade and storm closure for a building opening including, an upright frame having vertical guides and outwardly inclined guides extending downwardly from the upper ends of the vertical guides, and a transversely flexible panel having its side edges mountedon the frame and movable along the inclined guides and the vertical guides.

4. A combination awning and shutter including, a frame adapted to be fastened externally of a building opening and having upright and inclined continuous guide portions, and a flexible closure panel engaging in the guide portions of the frame and slidable lengthwise of said each other and each having a continuous guide channel with a vertical portion and an inclined top portion, and a flexible metallic closure panel having its sides slidable in said guide channels and movable from the vertical portion of the guide to the inclined portion thereof, whereby the vertical portion is left open.

7. A combined shutter and awning as set forth in claim 6, and a transverse shield at the top of the frame.

8. A combined shutter and awning including, a frame adapted to be fastened to a building opening and comprising upright guides, each having a vertical leg and a downwardly inclined extension connected by a curved bridge at their upper ends, connections between the guides securing them in spaced relation, and a flexible closure panel having its side edges slidable longitudinally on the guides, the panel being slidable from the vertical portions of the guides to the inclined portions thereof and also being'of less length than the guides thereby leaving the vertical portions open when slid into the inclined portions thereof.

9. A combined shutter and awning as set forth in claim 8, and a transverse shield having its ends secured on the bridges of the guides.

10. A combined shutter and awning as set forth in claim 8, wherein each guide has an inwardly facing channel continuous from end of said guide and receiving one side edge of the closure panel.

11. A combined storm shutter and awning comprising a frame having side channels bent intermediate their lengths each to have a V-shape and transverse members connecting the channels in spaced relationship, a shutter of flexible parts having their ends within the channels to slide therein, one leg of each channel being adapted to fit the sides of a window opening and the other leg thereof to extend outwardly and downwardly from the top of the window opening in an awninglike manner, the bends of the channels being rounded to accommodate the flexible shutter parts, said transverse frame members being respectively of L-section fitting over the outer ends of the channels and of curved section fitting over the bends of the channels. I

12. A combined storm shutter and awning comprising substantially a pair of A-shaped upright channel frame members, each member having a vertical leg adapted to be mounted at the side of a window opening and curved at its upper end into the other member, a transversely curved member connecting the curved portions of the channels across the upper end of a window, a transverse member connecting the lower outer ends of the channels, and a shutter of flexible parts having their ends within the channels to slide therein.

. LESTER MUHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 949,789 Wilson Feb. 22, 1910 1,917,449 Koller July 11, 1933 2,134,983 Nottingham Nov. 1, 1938 

